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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND | under present conditions it is not expedient I should do so, You are all aware that I leave Hongkong on the 2nd of next month, and I need hardly say that the separation from so many warm friends and familiar associations will be a very severe trisl, but as my health for the last year or two has caused some anxiety, I found it advisable to go home and have the benefit of a much-needed and well-earned rest. As I have said, the time of my departure is drawing near, and in spite of hope and faith in the future, there is a tinge of sadness in the present which I for one do not fear to cherish and confess, as it testifies to the genuineness of our human sympathies and the sincerity of our friendship Since I joined the Dock Company in 1864, I have served them loyally, to the best of my ability and I hope not unsuccessfully, as even shareholders must admit, knowing that the immense establishments of the Company are the most efficient and up to date of any in the East; and whatever may be said by non- partisans, they will remain a permanent landmark of intelligent and successful management. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to say that you are one of the oldest and most valued friends I have in the Far East, and I-feel very much gratified that you have been selected to fill the chair on this auspicious occasion. You are a distinguished member of the Engineers' Society, and by your upright conduct and excellent capabilities, you are esteemed and honoured by everyone who has the pleasure of knowing you. (Applause.)
[March 29, 1902.
to
those in charge of its affairs, but simply because they are not supported or assisted by the Government/in the way it had been stated they
сотех do. This were prepared to me and I dare say to yourselves, much more forcibly when you consider that in the neighbouring countries of Japan, and now in Manila, you find that the Governments there are not only prepared to give every encourage. ment to local engineers but to back this up with money assistance. We as Britishers ask for no Government assistance; we want just to be given a free hand to allow local industries to take full advantage of the scope that is before us, (Applause.) There is another little local industry which has recently cropped up in the Colony and I would refer to that little bantam-I mean cold storage. It is under the able direction of our present chairman. (Ap- planse.) That in itself is a sufficient guarantee that whatever opportunities there are will be
Some of you may \ fully taken advantage of. say that it is not an industry, but if it is not an industry it preserves what has already been made to its hand; and in that it is just possible
one never knows-that some day should a hostile fleet descend and take up their station outside the Harbour it will be a very necessary thing indeed that we have at our hand some place that we can fall back upon for the supplies for our daily food. I have left the largest and what I consider the principal industry of the Colony-I refer to engineering and shipbuilding
employ of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., who told me that he had been asked to send out a young engineer to take charge of the docking ' and engineering establishment of the Aberdeen Docks. I came out as chief of the s.s. Glengyle on the understanding that I should be allowed to leave the vessel in Hongkong in the event of coming to terms with Mr. Lamont. On arrival here in October, 1864, I found that negotiations were going on for the sale of the dock, and when finally sold to the Hongkong and Wham pos Dook Company, I was taken over by them and placed in charge of the Whampoa establishment. Shipbuilding and engineering promise in the near future to become one of the most important industries of Hongkong, and in an epoch so filled with surprising in. ventions, improved methods of living and important benefits and facilities for travelling for all classes of society, it is difficult to deter mine from what direction will come our next great stride in the path of invention, which probably will revolutionise for the good of mankind all that has hitherto been accom- plished in that particular line of scientific research. Look at the perfect network of railways which traverse the continents of Europe and America, and are now pushing their way through the vast plains of India and China. Look at the majestic steamers ploughing the mighty deep aud trading in all the navigable sess and oceans. Look at the immense forges, rolling mills and factories that illumine the skies in all civilised countries with their lurid furnace flame, and the brilliant lustre of the Mr. R. MITCHELL gave the toast of "Local He said Mr. Chairman and electric light! Look at all these and then ask Industries.” what power is so potent as steel and iron and the Gentleman, I consider it a privilege that I skilled intellect of the engineer; without them should be asked by those gentlemen who all branches of industry would cease and the organised this little dinner in honour of our era of progress set back many hundred years. guest, Mr. Gillies, to propose such an important (Applause.) Even since my arrival in the East toast as that of the local industries of Hongkong, the changes have been most pronounced and It has often been said of the trade, or want of remarkable, for at that time the only steam trade, of Hongkong, that at one time it had vessels frequenting the port of Hongkong were practically no industries and that the shipping the mail steamers of the P. & O. Company and was the life-blood of the Colony. In my time a coast line to Swatow, Amoy, and Shanghai, I can remember that when I came to this the mail steamers of the Messageries Maritimes, Colony first, some years ago, practically the only the cost line of Douglas Lapraik & Co., the industry in the Colony was that of 1efining Calcutta lines of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & sugar and practically that was the only export Co. and Messrs. A. Apcar & Co. and the daily trade in which Europeans at any rate were boats to Canton and Macao. Besides these we actively engaged. Since then a number of local had a number of sailing vessels trading to the industries have cropped up. There is in the first rice ports, to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope, place the making of ropes. A good many present to New York and to the Pacific coast: and an
are well acquainted with the career of the approximate estimate of the vast increase of our Hongkong Rope Company, and I am sure that trade and commerce can easily be arrived at by those who have sampled and handled and know comparing the aggregate tonnage of the small the quality of its rope are satisfied that it bears vessels of 1864 with the immense number and
an eminent reputation in this part of the world capacity of the present day. Then the only and also in the countries to which it is exported.
has industry
recently been docks available in this part of the world for Another repairing, cleaning and painting the bottoms of started here is the making of cement. vessels were the mud docks and Coupar's (Hear, hear). You can quite understand that granite dock at Whampoa acquired by the in this place where we are at such disadvan- Dook Company in 1882, and the Lamont Dock tages in having practically no raw material from at Aberdeen in 1884; the Luksun dock at which we can draw to build up any industry, Whampoa and the Hope dock at Aberdeen being we must feel that want of raw material to our then in course of construction. After a very hands; but I am sure those connected with keen and bitter competition the Kowloon Docks the new industry to which I refer can feel were acquired on 1st March, 1870, MacDonald's satisfied that it is in the hands of an excellent (Ap- and Sand's slips in 1879, and the Cosmopolitan directorate and managing engineer.
When I look around me to dock in 1880. Following the acquisition of the plause). Kowloon docks it became apparent that those night and
who are eminently at Whampoa were no longer of the same value associated with the various industries in the sure I can look upon no one to the business of the Company because the Colony I am loss of time on the voyage to and from Wham-
for whom I have more respect than my old see close beside pos was a serious disadvantage to shipping. friend, Mr. Hewitt whom In 1871 an effort was made to dispose of the me. (Applause.) It has often been said that Whampoa property to the Viceroy of Canton, there is no reason why Hongkong and Shanghai with the full consent and knowledge of might not be flourishing centres of local Captain Minto, Secretary to the Company, industry because they have cheap labour-so it for $300,000, but for some reason that is said. My own experience and I have no was never explained, and without advising | doubt that it will be well backed up by many me, the disposal of the docks was placed gentlemen present who have had experience of in the hands of Messrs. Deacon and Co., the Chinese, giving them the qualifications Canton, and the price increased to $450,000, at they are entitled to my experience is that which figure the Chinese declined to purchase where skilled labour is required we want three and the property remained on our hands until Chinese for one European, not to speak of the 1878 when, with the assistance of an influential extra supervision which is necessary where friend in the Canton Consulate, it was sold for Chinese are employed. A few years ago our $80,000. Seeing the dook property had been Governor-I forget which one it was said in an
Mr. R. SHEWAN, after making an humorons "practically sold for $300,000. I was very much address that the Government of Hongkong surprised that this important matter received would be prepared to as ist and do all they response to Mr Mitchell's concluding remarks, no attention from the shareholders when the could to encourage local industries, It is also said-I remember I once went to Government negotiations occurred. It was my intention on well known to a number of the gentlemen pre-House to a dinner and-I asked the man who was ~ coming here this evening to have entered more sent that there is at least one local industry fully into the history of the Dock Company which has been hampered to my knowledge and my personal experience in the Far East, for the last three or four years, not for but on further consideration I concluded that' want of enterprise and energy on the part of
see
men
to the latter part of my remarks. I consider it the greatest because it employs the largest number of men, and, I am sure, disburses the largest amount of money monthly to the employees of any industry in the Colony. While listening to the excellent address of our Chairman this evening in proposing the health of our guest I could not help thinking that he had left out one thing which it was eminently necessary to bring before this present company, and that is that our guest had a wonderful faculty for taking the best services out of any man that he had under his employ. (Laughter and applause.) I joined the Company some 20, years ago, and I remember well some of thos electric flashes to which our chairman has referred. In my youthful days I thought I knew something, but I was very soon made to understand that there was a man with a grasp behind my back to whom I must pay due deferences. I have lived and worked with Mr. Gillies for 20 years and it lies upon me to say that towards the latter end I had feelings of thankfulness in knowing that in my early days under his training I was led to a better under. standing of what engineering and shipbuilding service I may my were. Towards the end of truly say that the work under my direction went along smoothly and without a hitch. and
knew He was the man to let you know exactly what what he wanted,
go on and the work went on we had to smoothly; and I have no doubt that every man in the employ well bear me out in every word I say (Applause.) There is one
we
just a little-industry in the Colony I should like to refer to, and it is perhaps more particularly referring to the establish. the Hongkong and Whampoa ment of Dock Company. Within my time it has, I should say, trebled, if not quadrupled, the num- ber of its European employees. The Company has-treated its European employees in a very free and open-handed sort of way, perhaps more due to Mr Gillies than to anybody else, and the fact remains that we have on the other side a large extablishment and a number of excellent houses with sufficient inducement for the foremen and
others in the employ to bring their wives to the Colony. Hence the rising of the little in- dustry-what I refer to is the increase of the population of the Colony, (Laughter and ap- plause.) And, gentlemen, I think I may fair. ly close my remarks in asking you to drink the success of the local industries; and I beg to couple it with the name of Mr. Robert Shewan.
The toast was duly pledged.
next to me what was the matter with the Gover- nor, and he whispered that the Governor was suffering from suppressed speech (Laughter.) I think some of us have been suffering from the
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